1Kwathi ukuba bezwe oSanibhalathi, uThobiya, uGeshemi umArabhu, nazo zonke izitha zethu ukuthi sengilwakhile ugange, futhi akusasele sikhala kulo, noma-ke ngaleso sikhathi ngangingakazifaki izicabha emasangweni,
2uSanibhalathi noGeshemi bangithumelela umyalezo othi: “Woza sihlale phansi sidingide lolu daba komunye wemizana esethafeni e-Ono.” Kepha babehlose ukungenza isilo sengubo.
3Ngathumela izigijimi kubo, ngathi: “Ngimatasatasa ngomsebenzi omkhulu, ngeke ngehle ngize lapho kini. Ngizowuyekelani umsebenzi engiwenzayo, ngehle ngize lapho kini na?”
4Bangithumelela umyalezo ofanayo kwaze kwaba amahlandla amane, nami ngilokhu ngibabuyisela impendulo efanayo.
5Ngehlandla lesihlanu, uSanibhalathi wangithumelela lowo myalezo ngenceku yakhe, kodwa kwakuyincwadi engavaliwe.
6Kwakulotshwe kuyo ukuthi: “Kunamahlebezi ezizweni athi wena nabaJuda niceba ukuvukela inkosi, yingakho wakha kabusha ugange nje; ngokwalowo mbiko wena uzoba yinkosi yabo, noGashimu uyawafakazela lawo mahlebezi.
7Usuqoke abaphrofethi eJerusalema abazommezela ngawe, bathi: ‘Kunenkosi kwaJuda!’ Lawo mahlebezi angahle afinyelele enkosini, ngakho-ke woza sizohlangana, sikhulume.”
8Ngase ngithumela kuye, ngathi: “Lokho okushoyo akusilona iqiniso; nguwena nje ozakhele lezo zinto.”
9Ngokuba bonke babefuna ukusethusa, bethi: “Bazodikibala bayeke ukusebenza.” Ngakhuleka ngathi: “Nkulunkulu, qinisa izandla zami.”
10Ngelinye ilanga ngavakashela uShemaya, indodana kaDelaya owayezalwa nguMehethabheli. UShemaya wayengaphumi emzini wakhe. Waphrofetha wathi: “Masihlangane endlini kaNkulunkulu, ngaphakathi ethempelini, sihluthulele iminyango yalo, ngokuba bayeza ukuzokukubulala. Impela bazofika ngalobu busuku ukuzokukubulala.”
11Ngamphendula ngathi: “Ngabe indoda enjengami nje ingabaleka yini na? Ngabe indoda efana nami ingangena yini ethempelini ukuze isindise impilo yayo na? Ngeke ngingene kulo.”
12Ngabona ukuthi wayengathunywanga nguNkulunkulu, kodwa wayeqashwe nguThobiya noSanibhalathi ukuba asho leso siphrofetho ngami.
13Babemqashe ngenhloso yokungesabisa ukuze ngenze isono ngokwenza kanjalo, bangigxibhe, bangithele ngehlazo.
14“Nkulunkulu wami, khumbula okwenziwe nguThobiya noSanibhalathi, ungiphindiselele kubo nakumphrofethikazi uNowadiya, nakwabanye abaphrofethi abazama ukungesabisa.”
15Umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kabusha kogange waphela mhla zingama-25 ngenyanga u-Eluli, wathatha izinsuku ezingama-52.
16Kwathi lapho zonke izitha zethu zizwa ngalokho, nazo zonke izizwe esasakhelene nazo, zesaba kakhulu, zadikibala, ngokuba zabona ukuthi lowo msebenzi waphumelela ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu wethu.
17Phezu kwalokho izikhulu zakwaJuda, ngalezo zinsuku, zazibhalelana noThobiya,
18ngokuba abaJuda abaningi babenesibopho sesifungo ababesenze naye, ngoba wayeganwe yindodakazi kaShekhaniya, indodana ka-Ara, indodana yakhe, uJehohanani, iganwe yindodakazi kaMeshulami, indodana kaBherekhiya.
19Phambi kwami, babehlale betusa izenzo zakhe ezinhle; bembikela ngakho konke engangikusho. UThobiya wayengithumelela izincwadi zokungesabisa.